Follow Along With Us!

“In a world where we talk about raising walls, our industry builds bridges. It is incredibly rewarding to be working in an environment where we assemble the brightest minds of a certain field from all around the globe to work together to tackle some of the greatest challenges of our time” >>read more<<.

Huge congratulations to our President, Mathias Posch on his newly appointed IAPCO Presidency!

Some things that made us stop and think at PCMA's annual meeting in Nashville (featuring President of ICS, Mathias Posch). >>read more<<.

Flashback Article!

Even a professional sometimes needs a professional - PCO October 1989

"In-house" is possibly the wrong term for a conference organizer such as Judy Lane of the International Bar Association. "Globe-trotting" would be more apt, as Judy spends much of her time travelling in order to check at first hand the best venues and suppliers for IBA meetings. Some in-house organizers prefer to employ a local PCO to utilize their inside knowledge and contacts. It was Judy Lane's policy not to, until she encountered Congresos Internacionales in Buenos Aires. Priscilla Playford talked to her. >>read more<<

2017:

Our friends at the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer recently nominated our Executive team in the #PieInYourFaceChallenge to benefit #LungCancer Research. Click on the video below to view!

With increased globalised streams of information, networked societies have become more aware and skilled in addressing what connects us and what sets us apart from one another. Associations globally, in their capacity of representing civil society, are often regarded as particularly accustomed in dealing with the challenges which especially cultural differences might impose on current trends in various areas of our daily lives. But when it comes to business communication and decision-making processes there are several aspects that even seasoned professionals need to remind themselves of on a regular basis >>read more<<

SnaPCO - The PCO - Issue 79

International Conference Services and a few snaps of our team so far this year >>read more<<

The PCO - Issue 79, Feature Article: A new political reality and its effect on Global Meetings, by ICS President, Mathias Posch

Being a PCO with offices in Canada, Europe and the USA, we are rarely affected by political turmoil. Often we might even be a bit ignorant of many issues our colleagues face in parts of the world with less political certainty. Sure, working internationally there is the odd political crisis that forces us to make emergency plans or even postpone a meeting - but it seems it never hits us hard than right now. >>read more<<

Governing a not-for-profit organisation is never an easy feat and promoting corporate governance among volunteer leaders can be a tricky undertaking if not managed carefully and in context. As diverse as is the world of associations, so are the number of governance models applied in practice. Some strict, codified and made to last for all eternity, other flexible and loose, reflecting the association's needs at a given moment. 'WHICHEVER MODEL WORKS, DON'T CHANGE A WINNING TEAM' is the credo by which to address your governance needs. >>read more<<

Already in the 1980s management studies recognised that there is no executive task 'more vital and demanding than the sustained management of innovation and change' (Tushman, Nadler, 1986). Indeed, this could not ring more true for today's business environment. But is it a question for executives only? And how far-reaching would innovative practise need to be in order to become attainable as well as sustainable? Let us take a look at the concept of innovation from the point of view of the not-for-profit sector and associations in particular. >>read more<<

As leading Professional Conference Organizer, ICS manages every aspect of an event from registration, speakers, food and beverage, event logistics, audio visual and technology, event marketing, to venue and hotel management. With a growing team handling multiple worldwide events concurrently, it's imperative that the company has tools to streamline procedures, improve communication, and make routine tasks more efficient. >>read more<<

Vancouver Convention Centre

Tourism Vancouver and the Vancouver Convention Centre have been awarded the International Association of Professional Congress Organizers' (IAPCO) inaugural 2016 Collaboration Award in recognition of their continued partnership to raise the bar for event management services in Vancouver.

IAPCO's prestigious award draws attention to the importance of collaboration within the events industry by recognizing partnerships that deliver outstanding bids, conference management and long-term campaigns. Tourism Vancouver and the Vancouver Convention Centre's long-standing partnership was nominated by International Conference Services Ltd. (ICS), a Vancouver-based company that regularly works with both organizations in the planning and execution of conferences, meetings and other events. >>read more<<

PCMA - More Global Perspective: Touching Base with Mathias Posch

Mathias Posch is president and partner of International Conference Services, Ltd., a full-service meeting planning company based in Vancouver, and one with a strong track record in international medical meetings. Posch is also vice president of the International Association of Professional Congress Organisers (IAPCO), a leading international organization for professional meeting planners. No stranger to the world of digital/hybrid events, Posch has been helping clients create these types of meetings since 2009. DEI reached out to this thought-leader to get his perspective on the role digital meetings can play in furthering the strategic objectives of medical associations, particularly those with an international scope. >>read more<<

ICS' Mathias Posch on the Value of Partneing with CTI Meeting Technology (Video)

'Compliance'...it's a word that makes professionals in the world of medical meetings cringe these days. The relationships between medical associations and pharmaceutical companies have never been more complicated. For quite some time, it seemed that it was easier for an association or a congress with the right following to get money out of companies than it was to steal candy from a child. In many cases, these relationships were uneven and the associations were clearly in a position of power, just like many of their members themselves. >>read more<<

2013:

Andrew Dergousoff, of ICS Canada, was announced as the winner of the inaugural IAPCO Innovation Award at the IMEX Gala Evening at Frankfurt Opera House in May. The new award for PCOs attracted numerous applications, and the three short-listed nominees were presented by Council to the audience at IAPCO’s Annual Meeting in Lisbon earlier this year, for delegates to vote on the nominees’ innovative ideas, implementation, and successful contributions to their companies. >>read more<<